1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of air turning devices for mounting within ducting of air conditioning systems to facilitate the flow of air around corners in the system so as to minimize turbulence and frictional losses.
More specifically, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for fabricating such assemblies.
2. The Prior Art
It is conventional in air conduits or ducting such as are employed in air conditioning systems to provide air turning assemblies at positions where sections of ducting meet in angular relation Such air turning assemblies generally comprise upper and lower rails, known as vane rails, between which are mounted a series of arcuate vanes. The turning assemblies guide the air from one duct arm to the next, minimizing turbulence.
Examples of such air guide devices and stock materials from which the same may be made are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,861,597 of Nov. 25, 1958; 2,972,358 of Feb. 21, 1961; 2,959,195 of Nov. 8, 1960; 3,190,250 of June 22, 1965; 3,494,379 of Feb. 10, 1970; 3,602,262 of Aug. 31, 1971 and 4,995,426 of Feb. 26, 1991, as well as certain references cited therein.
Heretofore the manufacture of such devices has been a labor-intensive process.
More specifically, to fabricate an air turning assembly it is conventional practice to provide a pair of vane rails in accordance, for instance, with U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,597. The rails comprise flat sheet metal blanks having pairs of raised protuberances regularly spaced along the length thereof, the protuberances being slotted to receive the edge portions of vanes.
The manufacturing procedure involves placing an edge of a vane in the paired protuberances and securing the vane to the rail by distorting the edge portion of the vane projecting through the slots of the protuberances
After the first vane is thus affixed the worker must repeat the process serially, mounting vanes in each of the paired protuberances of the first rail. Thereafter the rail carrying the first edges of the series of vanes is placed downmost and the second rail applied over the free edges of the vanes one by one, inserting the free edges into the protuberances and distorting the projecting edge portions as set forth above to lock the free edges of the vanes to the second rail.
The operation of manually mounting the vanes in the rails, inserting the partially fixed vanes, serially applying the free edges of the vanes to the second rail, etc. is time-consuming and frequently, in handling, one or more of the vanes will become dislodged from the first rail, requiring reinsertion and re-affixation.
In our above referenced patent and application there is disclosed an automatic mechanized air turning assembly forming apparatus, wherein lengths or rolls of vane rail material are automatically advanced and air directing vanes automatically staked into position between the rails.